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Martha's Sewing Room

Decorative Stitching (#1110)

The elegant art of decorative stitching is shown to be simple when tips and tricks are known. A lovely piece of lingerie is shown with very creative decorative stitching. How to combine lace with silk ribbon embroidery is demonstrated, and a precious heart brooch is created. Vintage clothing is also featured. Guest: Philip Pepper. [26 minutes]

This episode has not aired in the past few months on Iowa Public Television.

Series Description: This popular series features a wide variety of sewing, craft, and decorating activities that are easy and fun to do.

All Episodes

Host Martha Pullen shows that it's easy to sew for babies. Special touches like hand faggoting and scalloped plackets are used to embellish baby gowns. Also shown are a lamb pillow; a baby memorabilia box; a delicate dotted Swiss doll dress; a lace animal quilt, and vintage clothing. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen shows the easy technique of using a serger to create a beautiful heirloom quilt. Other projects include a satin and lace pillow; a pin cushion; rhapsody in blue doll dress; and antique pleated trim technique. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen shows how to embellish with paper piecing and patchwork. Also shown are projects including butterflies and rainbows girl's dress; a watermelon potholder and a seminole lacework quilt square; and vintage clothing. [26 minutes]

Making a baby bonnet with heirloom serging is fast, quick and easy. See how to make a baby mobile; an elegant edging doll dress; an ice blue diamonds girl's dress, and a tied bow quilt square. Guest: Ann Riegel. [26 minutes]

Embellishing with a double needle is easy when Martha Pullen shows you how. See how to make a double needle delight girl's dress; learn about two silk ribbon stitches--arum lilies and leaves; and watch Martha make a polar fleece throw and a shark's teeth quilt square. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen demonstrates shadow applique, a very popular technique. See a beautiful shadow applique pillow; a royal ribbons doll dress; a quilt square of circular puffing; and an antique technique, lace to a finished edge. Guest: Marlis Bennett [26 minutes]

Yo Yos have been popular for over a century. Martha Pullen shows several methods of making yo yos. Projects shown with yo yo embellishment or made from yo yo's are a yo yo garden doll dress; a pillow; a yo yo doll; and a yo yo Christmas ornament. Also shown: a lace waterfall quilt square and vintage clothing. [26 minutes]

This program introduces linens that say "good morning," "tea time," " his," and "hers." Martha shows different ways to create lettering for home decorating projects and garments. Other projects include a girl's dress for all reasons; an elegantly edged pillow; the lace net darning technique; and two silk ribbon stitches: carnations and leaves. [26 minutes]

Host Martha Pullen shows three beginning stitches used in English smocking: outline stitch, stem stitch and cable stitch. Appliqu techniques are demonstrated on the Animal Alphabet quilt. The silk ribbon iris is also shown on a creative "Sweet Dreams" sleeping mask, and vintage clothing is also featured. [26 minutes]

Martha completes the instruction on smocking by showing the trellis stitch and other combination stitches. Other projects shown include an easy smocked pillow, an antique technique of corded or striped netting, a lavender lattice smocked doll dress with bullion accents, and vintage clothing. [26 minutes]

Puffing foam shadow appliqu is fast and easy to do, and it creates a wonderful three dimensional effect. The puffy foam technique is imaginatively used on a pillow. Martha Pullen demonstrates special ribbon embellishment on a doll dress; vintage clothing is also featured. Guest: Joyce Drexler. [26 minutes]

Creating the padded effect of trapunto was once a quite complex and time consuming task, but not today. The trapunto technique, tips and tricks are easily completed in half the time using the simple steps demonstrated. Other projects include a lovely trapunto bow pillow and an elegant traveler's coat hanger with silk ribbon daisy stitches. Vintage clothing is also included. [26 minutes]

The challenge of forming identical pleats is greatly simplified when you use the perfect pleater. This easy to use gadget creates pleated ruffles for doll dressing, home decorating, and more. The New Zealand blouse is featured with scalloped bias accents, and more appliqu techniques are shown on the Animal Alphabet Quilt. Vintage clothing is featured. Guest: Clotilde. [26 minutes]

Pintucks and embroidery is the perfect combination for embellishing garments and home decorating projects. You will also see how to embellish and construct an easy neck roll pillow. Martha demonstrates shirring on a beautiful blue doll dress. Guest: Darlene Geisendorff.
[26 minutes]

Celtic designs have long been used in the quilting industry. Martha Pullen shows how to lace shape using these intricate designs as templates. The New Zealand blouse is also shown with an interlocking lace diamonds design, and silk ribbon hydrangea flowers are stitched on a passport cover. Antique clothing is also featured. [26 minutes]

Pinstitching and hemstitching is a great technique used on clothing, pillows, and table linens. Martha Pullen shows how to incorporate these stitches into your projects, discussing needles, threads, and stabilizers. Lovely lingerie is discussed. A tapestry and silk pillow is created and vintage clothing is shown. Guest: Sue Hausmann. [26 minutes]

See how easy Australian Windowpane really is! Martha Pullen shows this technique on a silk and organdy flower pillow and a Spring Oval Windowpane doll dress. Special techniques on creating fine baby wear are also shown and vintage clothing. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen demonstrates the importance of correct sewing posture while sewing. Tips are also give to eliminate neck and back pain. Martha demonstrates how to make welt pockets on a tailored jacket. Also shown are a tassel pillow, perfect pleats doll dress, and vintage clothing. Guest: Anna Zapp. [26 minutes]

The scallop decorative stitch is often used in heirloom sewing. Martha Pullen shows how to do off-the-edge scallops. Also shown is a silk nightshirt with tucks, embroidery, and a rolled shell hem. The crazy patch square from the series quilt and the satin stitch dots hand embroidery stitch are demonstrated. Guest: Marlis Bennett. [26 minutes]

The challenge of making prefect pockets is greatly simplified when you use the pocket maker. This easy to use gadget creates perfect corners for all types of pockets. Silk ribbon spiderweb roses are also demonstrated. Of course, vintage clothing is featured. Guest: Clotilde. [26 minutes]

Host Martha Pullen shows the use of shadowed pintucks, embroidery, and a scalloped edge on a beautiful camisole and robe. A Seminole lacework square is added to the heirloom quilt. The hand embroidery fishbone stitch is demonstrated. Guest: Sheryl Capps. [26 minutes]

The elegant art of decorative stitching is shown to be simple when tips and tricks are known. A lovely piece of lingerie is shown with very creative decorative stitching. How to combine lace with silk ribbon embroidery is demonstrated, and a precious heart brooch is created. Vintage clothing is also featured. Guest: Philip Pepper. [26 minutes]

Picture transfers are easy, fun, and decorative. Martha Pullen shows the technique for transferring antique valentines and other pictures to fabric; she also illustrates how easy it is to add silk ribbon by machine to the transfer. Framing your treasured creation is also included. The lace circle with Australian windowpane quilt square is also shown. French seam technique is demonstrated for fine baby wear.
[26 minutes]

Using wash-away basting thread, host Martha Pullen shows a new madeira applique technique that is both easy and beautiful. This madeira appliqu technique is demonstrated on a wonderful lingerie camisole. Also shown are a quick scissors holder and a doll dress embellished with tatting. Guest: Patti Jo Larson. [26 minutes]

Host Martha Pullen talks with about the use of stabilizers. Also featured are a semicircular puffing pillow, a "pots-n-pins" craft project, and fine babywear techniques of French bindings and a shell edging. Guest: Joyce Drexler. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen features stained glass by machine. In the Sew Kool for Kids segment she shows how to make a book or journal cover. Also: a butterfly wall hanging and a baby's sailing pillow. Guest: Joanna Pullen Hammett. [26 minutes]

Martha Pullen shows how to include decorative piping on clothing for babies and children, including jazzed-up piping and embellished bias. Also: how to make angel nursery items, including a pillow, bumper pad, pillow case, and diaper bag; and embroidery stitches for a cross, heart, and anchor. Guests: Chris Tryon and Beverley Sheldrick. [26 minutes]